Professional registration key to quality of Trailblazer Apprenticeships

The announcement of the new Apprenticeship standard and the Guidance for Trailblazers today (4 March) underlines the commitment of employers and government to rigorous assessment at the end of the apprenticeship programme. Professional registration as Engineering Technician (EngTech) for engineering apprenticeships provides this independent quality check.

The government guidance states: “We want to ensure that completing an Apprenticeship in future allows an individual to achieve professional registration, in occupations where that is available”.

The EngTechNow campaign , first announced by the Prime Minister in June 2013, launched on 3 March aims to create 100,000 Engineering Technicians by 2020.  Engineering Technicians play a crucial hands-on role in engineering in the UK.  

Jon Prichard, CEO of the Engineering Council, said:

“The EngTechNow campaign will directly support engineering apprentices and employers engaged in Trailblazers, providing them with information on professional registration. At the end of a Trailblazer programme, an engineering apprentice should meet the requirements for professional registration as EngTech. The EngTech post nominals provide employers with the assurance and recognition that an individual has undergone rigorous independent assessment of their competence and commitment, benchmarked at a global level, whilst also demonstrating their commitment to their own development  a professional code of conduct. Companies demonstrating support for professionally registered technicians may find they can attract and retain the best talent.”